A.I. & Breeding

Digital technologies: They’re not just for activity monitoring anymore.

Automated devices that track physical activity changes, with a focus on detecting estrus, date back to the 1970s.

Genetics are an efficient tool to achieve healthier cows and thereby contribute to empty the sick pen. Breeding gives a permanent and cumulative effect; genetic improvement achieved today is of value also for future generations.

The use of beef semen in dairy cows over the past three years has simply been amazing. A recent National Association of Animal Breeders (NAAB) report on semen usage indicated that nearly 7 million units of beef semen were used with dairy cows in 2020.

A successful reproductive performance is fundamental to keep a dairy farm profitable. But how exactly can we measure repro success? Basically, this is measured by how fast we can turn nonpregnant cows into pregnant cows. The primary metric used to do this is by calculating the 21-day pregnancy rate (PR), which is defined by the total number of pregnant animals divided by the total number of eligible cows during a given time frame.

No dairy producer has the exact same set of tools on their farm. A few core items might be similar, but every producer’s toolbox is going to look different. The same goes for a reproduction program.